- Short answer
- No — not for basic tracking: with a tracking number, Shopify's status page, emails and Shop app track the order; apps add extras like text updates.
- Built-in needs
- A tracking number on the fulfillment: added for you with Shopify labels, typed in for other carriers
- Unsupported carrier
- The number links to the carrier's website; no order status shows, and the map pin doesn't update live
- No tracking number
- The order stays On its way until you mark it delivered
- What apps add
- Shipping updates by text, Exception and Returned statuses synced to orders, shipment analytics
What Shopify already tracks once you add a tracking number
- Order status page: location updates for supported carriers, reopened from emails or with the order confirmation number and email or phone (who can open it).
- Shipping emails: Shipping confirmation on fulfillment, Shipping update when you add or edit tracking after fulfillment, Out for delivery and Delivered from carrier or fulfillment-app events (not for local delivery).
- Shop app: status updates, push notifications, live map and estimated delivery dates (Shop vs Shopify).
To edit those emails or switch specific ones off:
- Settings
- Notifications
- Customer notifications
What built-in tracking depends on
It all runs on the tracking number. Shopify labels add it for you; with another carrier, type it in when you fulfill the order, or later with Add tracking. Shopify recognizes numbers from hundreds of carriers; if yours isn't listed, pick Other and enter the full tracking URL.
- Orders
- Order details
An unsupported carrier gets a number linking to the carrier's website; the order status page then shows no status, and the map pin doesn't update in real time (what the page stops showing). With no number, the order stays On its way until you mark it delivered.
When a tracking app is worth paying for
Shopify's App Store page for its included tracking says apps “may offer additional features for customization and notification types.”
- You buy labels in Shopify or ship with a carrier Shopify supports
- You want the order status page on a subdomain of your store's primary domain
- Every shipped order has its tracking number in Shopify — typed in when the label wasn't bought here
- Exception and Returned statuses synced to your orders (Shipment Tracking & Notify)
- Shipment analytics (Track123 Order Tracking)
- Shipping updates by text: Shopify's SMS setup page says customers won't receive shipping notifications by SMS
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